Why Removing the Inner Selfie Camera Could Make the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Better

The constant pursuit of more hardware features doesn't always translate to a better user experience, especially in the world of foldable smartphones. When evaluating modern devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, adopting a mindset of minimalism might actually solve some of its most persistent design compromises.

Using the proverb "less is more" feels risky in a world where many people believe big tech companies and their products offer less value for money each year. Still, the adage fits how I feel about one aspect of the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

At the risk of alienating some of you who are constantly looking for more and better hardware, I'm going to bite the bullet and say it:

I wish my Galaxy Z Fold 8 didn't have an inner selfie camera embedded in the foldable screen. I wish it didn't have an inner selfie camera at all.

The reasons are twofold. One has to do with immersion, and the other, oddly enough, relates to audio.

Reason #1: I don't use it, but it gets in the way

I won't argue that a clean foldable display with no camera cutouts is the better option for everyone. But it is for me, especially since I don't think I will ever use that inner selfie camera in any meaningful capacity.

I'll probably never have a good reason to make or receive video calls on the big foldable screen, and without Flex Mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the inner selfie camera is even less appealing.

Meanwhile, the Infinity-O cutout does get in the way more often than not. Admittedly, so far I've used the large foldable screen on my Fold 8 mostly for playing mobile games like Magic: The Gathering Arena and League of Legends: Wild Rift.

As it happens, in both those titles, the selfie camera can block important information. It either hides my total amount of gold coins in Magic: The Gathering Arena's main menu or the timer in live League of Legends matches — two important stats.

Not every use case will suffer the same fate. Sometimes I don't notice the camera cutout. And of course, I can always rotate my Galaxy Z Fold 8 upside down to keep the selfie camera near the lower bezel and see everything at the top of the screen uninterrupted.

However, it feels a little weird. The phone's hottest spot is near the rear camera, and to me, it feels slightly hotter if I rotate the phone and keep the hot spot in the lower-left corner. It's likely just my hand position.

Either way, after weeks of using the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I'm fairly sure I'd be much better off without an inner selfie camera than with one. It would make the 7.6-inch display a little more immersive. That's a trade-off I'd agree to.

Reason #2: The solution to the stereo speaker problem?

Sound quality is another possible benefit to having no inner selfie camera on the Fold 8 — and why I didn't suggest something like UDC (Under Display Camera) instead. No camera means more internal space, and that's a real commodity for foldable phones.

But why the need for a better speaker setup? Well, in case you don't know, one of the Galaxy Z Fold 8's few design issues or areas that feel underdeveloped concerns the speakers.

Both speakers are embedded in the cover-screen half of the phone. When you use the cover screen in portrait mode, one speaker fires up, and the other fires down.

This configuration is common for slab-type phones and works well when the Fold 8 phone is folded. But unfold the phone in landscape orientation, and you'll notice that both speakers have moved with the cover screen. They are now firing from the left side. It's far from ideal, as it almost negates the stereo effect.

So how could removing the inner selfie camera lead to better audio? Well, it's not an easy one to visualize, but if you have the Galaxy Z Fold 8, unfold it and imagine that the upper speaker resides in the other half of the phone, right above where the inner selfie camera is right now.

I've looked at the Galaxy Z Fold 8 from all angles, and I personally can't imagine a more optimal way to address the stereo separation issue while satisfying both use cases: folded and unfolded.

Of course, I can't be sure if removing the inner selfie camera would make enough room for a speaker, but it's a start, and maybe Samsung could pull it off.

In theory, relocating the upper speaker to the other half of the phone would make no discernible difference in stereo separation when the phone is folded. However, it could massively improve stereo separation when the Fold 8 is unfolded and used in landscape mode.

All in all, considering how little (or not at all) I use the inner selfie camera, having none at all might be for the best. However, I am aware that people don't want to get less hardware for the same or higher amount of cash, so I know it's a tough proposition.

Plus, if you take a lot of group selfies, the inner one on the Fold 8 is a little better than the cover screen selfie camera thanks to a wider angle.

But speaking strictly from the perspective of design and my user experience, I would've been happier with better audio instead of the inner selfie camera. What about you?

Why does the author want to remove the inner selfie camera?

The author rarely uses the inner selfie camera, and the display cutout often blocks crucial user interface elements, such as timers and coin counts, while playing mobile games.

How would removing the camera improve audio quality?

Removing the camera module frees up internal space in the opposing half of the foldable device, potentially allowing Samsung to relocate an upper speaker for balanced stereo separation in landscape mode.

Are there any downsides to removing the inner selfie camera?

Yes, consumers generally expect more hardware for their money rather than less, and the inner camera does offer a wider angle that is useful for group selfies compared to the cover screen camera.

🔎 Ultimately, while sacrificing hardware features on a premium device like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a controversial stance, rethinking component placement could pave the way for true innovations in user immersion and audio fidelity.